Permutation-lock.



Patented Uct. 24, |899.

B. W. INGLIS. PEMuTATmN Lock.

(Application legl Feb. 16, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet' l,

(No Model.)

und

Nb. 635,549. Patented Oct. 24, |899.

' R. W. INGLIS.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

(Application led Feb. 16, 1 9 (No M o d e l 2 S h e e t s S h e e t 2.

NITED -STATES! ROBERT W. INGLIS, OF SUMMITVILLE, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,549, dated voctober 24., 189e. Application led February 16,1899. lSerial No. 705,672. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. INGLIs, a citizen of the United States, residingat Sum'- mitville, in the coun-ty of Madison and'State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention has relation to locks of the keyless variety designed chiefly for housedoors, and which will be as safe as the general run of door-locks operated by means of a key and be superior thereto, since the person'is not required to carry a key. The lock is constructed so as to be readily opened in the dark by a person having knowledge of the combination and accustomed to operate the lock and to have the combination changed easily and with despatch.

- The improvement consists of the novel features, details of construction, and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a face view of a portion of a door, showing the lock in position. Fig. 2 is a plan section on the line X X of FigA 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lock ,the

covering-plate of the casing being removed. Fig. 4 is a viewin elevation of the reverse side of the permutation mechanism,showingits relation to the latch-bolt. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the bar cooperating with the tumblers. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a tumbler. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the dial-plate.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The lock shown is of the type to be let into the mortise of a doorl and is of ordinary construction, being selected to illustrate the ap-4 plication of the invention, it being understood that the permutation mechanismA with slight changes can be adapted to any of the various stylesvand makes of locks.

The operating parts are located within the casing l and are disposed so as to occupy the smallest amount of space possible, the casing having a side detachably connected therewith to admit of access to the mechanism when required for anyl purpose. The latch-bolt 2 is 'of ordinary formation and is operated by the knob-spindle 3, through Vthe intervention of the usual cam i and spring-.actuated lever 5. The cam 4 is adapted to be locked against movement in either direction by means of the thumb-lever 6 in the ordinary way. The latch-boltl can be thrown independently of thenknob-,spin dle by means of the inner thumbknob 7, together with its cam 8, and the outer thumb-knob 9 with its cam 10.

The permutation mechanism consists of a series of tumblers 11, spacedapart and arranged in a line, a bar 12, formed with projecting portions 13, pins extending laterally from the projections 13 to coperate with the notches or gates 15 of the tumblers 11, a spring-actuated lever 16, connecting the bar 12 with the latch-bolt-operating mechanism, so as to prevent movement of said latch-bolt by means of the outer thumb-knob when the locking mechanism is set, and indicating and setting mechanism for properly positioning the tumblers to admit of movement of the bar l2 when it'is required to throw the latchbolt to open the door.

The tumblers 11 are similarly constructed.,

and consist of disks 17, having notches or gates 15 to coperate with the pins 14, and a series of false notches V18 to add to the difficulty of opening the lock by unauthorized parties. Hubs 19 project laterally in opposite directions from the sides of the disks 17 and are formed throughout their length with openings 20 to receive the spindles 2l of the thumb-knobs 22. The openings 20 are of such shape in cross-section as to interlock vwith the spindles 21, whereby the thumb- The bar 12 is slidably mounted in the casing and its projecting portions 13 operate in the space formed between the hubs 1i) of the tumblers. The pins 11, projecting laterally from the parts 13, are flattened and are ad apted to enter the notches or gates 15 when the p tu mblers are set to bring said notches or gates into the predetermined position. The lever 16 has its lower end entering the notch formed in the bar 12 and is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends, the opposite end bearing against a portion of the cam 10, so as to prevent Inovelnent thereof when the permutation mechanism is set to prevent movement of the latchbolt. Y A spring 23 cooperates with the lever 16 to hold it and the bar 12 in a normal position, whereby the pins 14 clear the tumblers. The dial-plate 24 is applied to the outer side of the door 25 and carries the mechanism for operating and properly positioning the tumblers. The spindles 21 of the thumb-knobs 22 are journaled in openings of the dial-plate and are held in place by pins 26 and by thumbknobs 22 coming upon opposite sides of the dial-plate and extending beyond the openings formed therein through which the said spindles 21 pass. This will be plain when itis remembered that the spindles 21 are thrust through openings in the dial-plate. When applied to the dial-plate, the pins 2G are passed through openings formed transversely in the spindles and prevent their withdrawal, the thumb -knobs serving to limit the inward movement of the said spindles. Spurs or lugs 27 project inwardly from the thumb-knobs 22 and are adapted to enterany one of a series of openings 2S formed in the dial-plate concentric with the spindles 21, so as to hold the tumblers when turned to the required position to admit of the latch-bolt being thrown. The spindles 21 have a limited longitudinal play in the dial-plate, so as to admit of the spurs or lugs 27 being engaged with or disengaged from the openings or depressions 2S. These openings 2S being disposed in a circular series are graduated, so as to determine the proper positioning of the tumblers, which is accomplished by turning the thumb-knobs 22 until the spurs or lugs 27 are brought opposite the character or graduation selected to determine the correct position of the tumblers to admit of a movement of the bar 12, so that the throwing or shooting of the latchbolt may be effected. When it is required to change the combination, the tu mblers are turned so Aas to bring their notches or gates 15 into registry with the pins l-t, after which the dial-plate is loosened and moved outward, so as to withdraw the spindles 2l from engagement with the hubs 19, when the thu mb-knobs 22 can be turned to any desired position without changing the relation of the tumblers. The dial-plate is now replaced, the spindles 21 sliding into the openings 2O of the hubs, thereby accomplishing the desired result.

Itis contemplated to apply the permutation mechanism to any of the varieties and styles of locks in general use, and in such adaptation it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the nature of the invention.

The thumb-knobs 22 are flat and have one of their edges formed with a notch 29. These notches serve as guides and enable the operator to determine the proper positioning of the tumblers in the dark by feeling. y

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a lock, in combination with the latchbolt,a permutation mechanism ccmprisinga series of individual tumblers spaced apart and independently mounted, a bar common to all the tumblers of the series and having oistanding projections to enter the gates of the tumblers and independent of and spaced from the latch-bolt, independent means for properly positioning and operating the individual tumblers, and a spring-actuated lever interposed between said bar and thelatch-boltoperating mechanism and adapted to prevent movement of said latch-bolt when the permutation mechanism is set, substantially as set forth;

2. Ina lock; the combination with the latchbolt, and a thumb-knob-operated cam for throwing the latch-bolt, of a series of individual tumblers spaced apart and independently mounted, independent meansfor properly positioning and operating the individual tumblers, a bar common to all the tumblers of the series and having oftstanding projections to enter the gates thereof and independent of and spaced from the latch-bolt, a lever interposed between the said bar and the aforementioned thumb-knob-operat-ed cam, and a spring for holding the leverand bar in a normal position, substantially as described.

3. In permutation mechanism for locks, a tumbler, a dial-plate having a circular series of openings or depressions andathumb-knob having a spindle journaled in the dial-plate and adapted to make adjustable connection with thetumbler so as to admit of the combination being altered, said thumb-knob having a spur to interlock with any one of the series or depressions of the dial-plate to hold the tumbler in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

4. In permutationmechanism for locks, the combination with a tumbler, and a dial-plate having a circular series of openings or depressions, of a thumb-knob having a spindle mounted in the dial-plate so as to turn and have a limited longitudinal play and adapted to have adjustable connection with the tumbler to admit of the combination being altered, and having a spur to copcrate with the aforesaid circular series of openings ordepressions to fix the position of the tumbler, substantially as described.

5. In a lock, the combination with the latchbolt and actuating mechanism therefor, of a series of individual tumblers independently mounted and spaced apart, a bar common to all the tumblers of the series and having projecting parts operating in the spaces formed between them and provided with ofstanding projections to enter the gates of the tumblers, connecting means between said bar and the actuating mechanism of the latch-bolt, a dialplate having a circular series of openings or depressions, and thu mb-knobs applied to the dial-plate and adapted to make adjustable connection with'the tumblers to admit ofthe combination being altered, said thumb-knobs I ROBERT w. iNGLis.

Witnesses:

ALLEN PETERS, ENOCH M. BLosEi 

